Responsible gun ownership advocate shot dead

COTABATO CITY —A senior member of a gun club popular for advocating responsible gun ownership was shot dead in General Santos City on Wednesday night, November 20.

In separate reports released on Thursday, November 21, the General Santos City Police Office and the Police Regional Office-12 identified the fatality as Akmad Usman, who died instantly from bullet wounds in different parts of his body.

Usman, a resident of Malapatan town in Sarangani, was seated near the gate of his friend’s house along Ramos Street in Barangay Dadiangas East, General Santos City when his attacker, riding a motorcycle, came close, pulled over and repeatedly shot him with a pistol.

Responding police probers found seven empty shells of pistol cartridges scattered around Usman’s cadaver.

Radio reports in General Santos City and neighboring provinces cited that the victim was an active member of a local gun club who helped facilitate shooting competitions in Central Mindanao as a range officer.

The gun club where Usman belonged was a staunch advocate of safe gun handling and responsible ownership of licensed firearms, according to local officials in General Santos City.